Composition is the strongest way of seeing - Edward Weston
You may be struggling with all the technical elements of digital photography like how to set up the camera and how to best post process your files. It can be very frustrating! To reduce the stress of taking perfect pictures, get back to basics.
Get out your camera and take 100 photos of anything at all!
- Put your camera on Program mode
- Set your camera to ISO 200 if you are outside and ISO 400+ if you are inside
- Use Auto White Balance for this exercise
- Don’t worry too much about exposure
- Just concentrate on taking your photographs with basic composition in mind
Use these compositional elements to start:
- Rule of thirds
- Simplicity
- Framing
- Angles
- Patterns
- Shapes
If you need a review or would like to see some samples of basic compositional elements, see this presentation. And remember, good composition gives immediate access and attention to your photographs.
While you are out and about taking your 100 photographs, try to notice the quality of the light.
- Is it soft with no shadows?
- Do the shadows have distinct edges to them?
- Is it bright?
- Does it come from one direction or many directions?
- How does the light affect your subject?
Have fun! If you get something interesting, send it to me for the Student Photo of the Week right here on the sidebar!
